It's always the right time to start thinking about how we can best take care of our bodies and avoid getting sick. One way to do that is by supplementing our diets with vitamins and minerals that support our immune system. Here are 5 of the best:
Zinc: Zinc is an essential mineral that helps our bodies produce antioxidant enzymes, like superoxide dismutase (SOD). It's found in virtually all cells in the human body and plays a role in immunity to bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Supplementing with zinc has been shown to reduce the duration and severity of colds and other infections. Additionally, zinc assists in diabetes treatment and has been shown to help prevent cancer.
Vitamin C: Vitamin C is well-known for its healing properties, from helping wounds to recover to aiding in bacterial infection prevention. It's also a powerful antioxidant and helps with collagen production. In terms of immune health, vitamin C has been shown to reduce the duration and severity of upper respiratory viral infections. Additionally, vitamin C improves iron absorption, which is important for people who don't eat meat or poultry (vegans and vegetarians).
NAC (N-Acetylcysteine): NAC is an antioxidant amino acid that's a precursor to glutathione—one of the body's most important antioxidants. NAC has been shown to be effective in reducing the duration and severity of upper respiratory viral infections.
Vitamin D: Vitamin D is a healthy hormone that plays an important role in immune health. Low levels of vitamin D have been linked with increased mortality from viral and bacterial infections. Supplementing with vitamin D has been shown to improve immunity, especially in people who are deficient in this vitamin.
Quercetin: Quercetin is a flavonoid (a type of antioxidant) that's known for its antihistamine properties. It's also good for immune support and has been shown to have cancer-preventative effects. Additionally, quercetin can be helpful for allergies because it stabilizes mast cells—a type of white blood cell that's involved in allergic reactions.
As always, it's important to think about how we can best take care of our bodies and ward off sickness. One way to do that is by supplementing our diets with vitamins and minerals that support our immune system. zinc, Vitamin C, NAC, Vitamin D, and Quercetin are all great options that can help keep you healthy all year long!
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